88S40046 KBB-D     By: Tepper H.B. No. 17       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of an agriculture disaster relief   grant program; making an appropriation.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding   Chapter 22 to read as follows:   CHAPTER 22. AGRICULTURE DISASTER RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM          Sec. 22.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                (1)  "Category D2 drought" means a severe drought as   defined by the United States Drought Monitor.                (2)  "Category D3 drought" means an extreme drought as   defined by the United States Drought Monitor.                (3)  "Program" means the agriculture disaster relief   grant program established by this chapter.          Sec. 22.002.  ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The   department shall establish the agriculture disaster relief grant   program to provide block grant disaster relief funding to   applicants for necessary expenses related to losses of revenue by   cotton infrastructure as a consequence of natural disasters   involving drought for the 2022 or 2023 crop year.          (b)  The department shall adopt rules to implement and   administer the program.          Sec. 22.003.  GRANT PROGRAM FUND. (a) The agriculture   disaster relief grant program fund is an account in the general   revenue fund. The fund is composed of:                (1)  money appropriated to the department for deposit   to the credit of the fund;                (2)  money transferred by the department to the credit   of the fund from other sources available to the department; and                (3)  gifts, grants, and donations made to the   department for the purpose of the fund.          (b)  The fund may be used only by the department to award   grants under the program.          Sec. 22.004.  ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT PROGRAM. (a) To be   eligible to receive a grant under the program, an applicant must   meet the eligibility requirements established by department rule   and show that:                (1)  the grant will be used to support agricultural   supply chain resiliency;                (2)  the land for which the grant will be used is   located in a county identified by the United States Drought Monitor   as having a Category D2 drought for eight consecutive weeks or a   Category D3 drought at any point during the 2022 or 2023 calendar   year; and                (3)  the applicant experienced a decline of at least 30   percent in gross receipts or gross revenue in the 2022 or 2023   calendar year as compared to the previous calendar year.          (b)  Grants under the program may not exceed $500,000 per   applicant.          Sec. 22.005.  EXPIRATION OF GRANT PROGRAM. This chapter   expires September 1, 2025.          SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules and   procedures required to implement and administer Chapter 22,   Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  (a) Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of   the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the Supplemental   Appropriations Act), is repealed.          (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, the   Department of Agriculture may expend amounts appropriated by former   Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of the 88th Legislature,   Regular Session, 2023 (the Supplemental Appropriations Act), for a   purpose provided by the former law if the amounts were obligated for   that purpose before the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 4.  (a) All unobligated and unexpended balances   remaining as of the effective date of this Act from appropriations   made by former Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of the 88th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the Supplemental   Appropriations Act), are appropriated from the same source to the   Department of Agriculture for the two-year period beginning on the   effective date of this Act for the purpose of providing grants under   Chapter 22, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.          (b)  The comptroller of public accounts shall deposit the   amount appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section to the credit   of the agriculture disaster relief grant program fund created by   Section 22.003, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the   last day of the legislative session.